Do you use Facebook? I do. I use it to stay in touch with family and friends, and I can honestly say it has brought me an incredible amount of pleasure. There is nothing like connecting with old friends- In fact let me stop right here and pay homage to Facebook for bringing my first boyfriend back into my life. I have gone full circle and it is INCREDIBLE. Your chances of bumping into old friends is pretty good. More than 500 Million people us the social-networking website, each with and average of 130 friends. Seventy percent-or 350 million of these users are located outside the United States.

Another huge, huge plus for using Facebook is that big and small business owners, network marketers and sales persons have over 500 million new clients to talk to about their products and services. There is a catch to this though. You should NEVER throw up your business, Network marketing ventures etc. on your friends on Facebook. If you have something to offer them, let them know in a subtle way. You might do more giving of information and dropping hints here and there but they will block you off their wall if every time they look up you are trying to sell them something.

Facebook and other social media are changing society in dramatic ways. My son and daughter are soon to graduate from high school and 20 years ago I could say that they would soon forget their friends but..they have Facebook and keeping in touch is just a key stroke away. There is a good chance they will stay in touch forever.

On the other hand many people are afraid to use social networks for one reason: PRIVACY. That single word keeps them from joining and enjoying a whole new world. Facebook seems to be especially hard-hit by privacy concerns. This site changes its privacy policies so often, its difficult to stay up to date. Many people are anxious about their ability to effectively manage privacy settings-the controls determining who can see your personal information. In response, the social networking site strengthened and simplified its privacy protections for users. Today, it's fairly safe to visit and establish a presence on Facebook. The trick is to recognize that this is a public forum, which will help you know what to write and what to leave out.

Also, Facebook has massive databases that store the information you enter into its systems. Some fear that the company and others like it, can chop up this date and learn more about you than you want them to know.

I really enjoy using Facebook, LinedIn, Twitter and other forms of social networking and don't plan to close my accounts any time soon. You shouldn't either. Follow these three guidelines to protect yourself if you must:

1. Make sure you understand and control your Facebook privacy settings. People who use Twitter understand that anyone can read what they are saying; there is little expectation of privacy. With Facebook, you might assume that there is privacy. Assuming is dangerous Read Facebook's Privacy Policy and then check your won privacy settings. To do the latter, open the "Account" menu on the upper right-hand side of your home page and select the "Privacy Settings" menu item.

2. Assume that everyone can see what you put on Facebook. Even though you have checked your security settings, it pays to plan what goes online. Never post anything you wouldn't want to world to see (including employers). Be smart! Don't include any information or photos that could embarrass you. On the other hand, it's also an opportunity to put your best face forward. Post a profile that shows off your social and intellectual skills in a positive light. In this way, you can impress employers and potential employers with your polished writing and professional demeanor.

3. Think before you click - especially in allowing requests that seem unusual. This is plain and simple. I don't think I have to say this but.....DO NOT give out any passwords or personal information such as your address, social security number, and if you have small children try your best not to give out their school information with their names. Let's face it some people are crazy these days and you don't want someone popping up at your door or telling your child at their school that you sent them to pick them up.

Now that you know how to stay safe, go out there and have some fun!!

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